Leverage or Momentum: Part 3, Partnerships

As leverage and momentum types have different strengths and weaknesses, you need to think long and hard before forming a business partnership. (Indeed, one of the biggest business mistakes men make is partnering up with a friend just because you are friends, though that’s a subject for another post.)

Momentum-Momentum Partnerships.

Two momentum types working together had better be careful. They won’t see each other’s blind sides. Everything will be rush-rush-rush and no one will ever put on the breaks. Two momentum types can achieve great success, but they are just as likely to blow up the business by taking on too much risk and always doing business deals and taking action simply for the sake of doing something.

Leverage-Leverage Partnerships.

Two leverage types who work together will waste a lot time and pass on many profitable opportunities. They won’t make anything happen. They’ll suck on their thumbs all day.

Of course that’s not always true. But if you are careful and deliberative, you had better ensure that your partner isn’t quite as careful and deliberate as you are.

The Momentum-Leverage Partnership

Synergy is the most overused, cliche, dumb word in the corporate lexicon. Yet here the word actually applies. When a leverage and momentum type work together, the sum is greater than the parts.

How To Work Together

1. Recognize that conflict is inevitable.
Because of your different ways of viewing the world, a leverage type will think a momentum type is being too brash and spazzy. A momentum type will think that a leverage type is taking too long.

That’s fine. Conflict is OK among men. Just don’t take things personally or be a little girl about it.

2. You’re not allowed to judge.
If you are working with someone of genuine accomplishment, you can’t judge. You are not right. Your type is not right. The other person’s type is not right.

Both types can accomplish great things.

So shut up and stop getting indignant when someone disagrees with you.

3. Focus on what matters.
You are working together towards a common goal. When conflict happens, remind yourself of the goal you and your partner are working towards.

Everything is secondary to your goals.

Your feelings are hurt? You didn’t like the email? Wah. Doesn’t matter. As long as th goals are accomplished, you are winning.

4. Learn from the other type.
If you’re a momentum type, your brashness and boldness create opportunity but also leads to costly mistakes.

If you’re a leverage type, your patience mitigates risk and can help protect you from harm. But life is risk and the more (intelligent) risk you take on, the greater your rewards.

Look at what the other person is doing, almost like you’re a psychologist. Ask yourself why the person is doing what he’s doing.

View it from an optimistic angle. “Oh, he isn’t being lazy. He just thinks now is too soon to move,” the momentum type might say of the leverage type.

“He’s right, there is no optimal time to move. We need to create an opportunity that doesn’t already exist,” the leverage type might say of the momentum type.

5. Meet in the middle.
Conflict is best understood in the Hegelian sense. Leverage is thesis. Momentum is antithesis.

Once you resolve the conflict, the synthesis will be better than either of you.

Make big, bold moves. Smash things, momentum types.

But why swing a an axe when you can split a log much easier by putting a split
into it?

What’s Your Take?

What type do you identify with? What are your biggest strengths and weaknesses resulting from your type?

Leave a comment below.

Related posts:

I think I’m the momentum type and my ex partner was the leverage type. He always talked about scaling and blowing up but everything I wanted to do he didn’t allow because it was too risky or too ambitious. I’m glad that’s over with. He always got mad when we had a conflict. Yes he was a little bitch. So now he has left the partnership and started another company doing the same shit.

This article holds truth about the issue of working with others. Can’t wait to see an article about partnering up in which case I am totally against now. Just do it! And do it urself!

Danger & Play Blog

Right. The only reason to go into business is because:

1. Someone can do something you can’t do.
2. Or he can do it better.
3. Or there is an actual synergy.

Otherwise, he can have his business and you can have yours.

nrpr

I am definitely a momentum type. I have to keep moving! My business partner is definitely a leverage type. We compliment each other nicely. If I wasn’t around, I wonder if he would actually get anything done. On the flip side, he is quick to point out things that I might have missed with my “shoot from the hip” style.

My right hand man is a momentum type too. Which explains where some of our conflicts have come from. I think i’ll be able to manage him more effectively, now that I understand him (and myself) better.

Very useful series!

Danger & Play Blog

Hey, that’s really cool that you intuitively stumbled onto this idea.

I’d love to hear more about how specifically you and your business partner work together.